Multiple continuous printer



April 5, 1932. F. H. OWENS 1,852,894

MULTIPLE CONTINUOUS PRINTER Filed July 18, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l @WWWWWWW '5 @g gg 5' J V POSITIVE sunny lllllllll null-ll PRINTED P051 TIVE 387 /08 TAKE-UP IN V EN TOR.

April 5, 1932. F, H OWENS 1,852,894

MULTIPLE CONT INUOUS PRINTER 'Filed July 18, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4'. AINVEN TOR.

FREEMAN f1 OWfA/S.

Patented Apr. 5, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ASSIGNOR TO OWENSDEVELOPMENT GOR- A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK MULTIPLE CONTINUOUS PRINTERApplication filed July 18,

My invention pertains generally to printing machines for motion picturefilms and has for its primary object the provision of an apparatus inwhich two positive prints may be made simultaneously from the samenegative film.

A further and important object-of my invention is to provide such aprinter whereby in the same apparatus two negative films may besimultaneously run and two positive prints made from each of suchnegative films.

Still another object is to provide a novel driving means whereby all ofsaid films may be moved thereby.

Another object is to provide means for at will connecting ordisconnecting one of the printing units of this machine.

A still further object lies in the provision of novel illuminating meansfor simultaneously illuminating two different sections of a singlenegative film, whereby two positive prints may be made from said filmssimultaneously from the same light source.

Other objects and advantages in details of construction and operationmay be apparent as the description proceeds, reference now being had tothe figures of the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicatelike parts.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of new printingapparatus.

Figure 2 is a detail side view of the driving means therefor.

Figure 3 is a detail cross section of my improved illuminating means andfilm gates.

Figure 4 is a detail plan view in cross section, illustrating theconstruction and arrangement of my improved printing apparatus.

The reference numeral the side walls 2 and 3 of which are providedcentrally with inwardly extending bosses 4 and 5 forming bearings for ashaft 6, extending between such side walls and rotatable 1 refers to acasing,

1927. Serial No. 206,591.

therein. Suitably keyed to this shaft for rotation therewith, is apulley 7, around which passes a belt 8, which also passes around thepulley 9 of the motor 10 (Figure 2) which may be suitably located on thebase 11 in the lower part of the machine. It will be clear thereforethat when the motor 10 is operating, the pulley 7 will be rotated. Thispulley 7 is the single driving means for all of the driven elements tobe described.

Mounted for rotation upon the shaft 6 adjacent the bosses 4 and 5, andspaced from the pulley 7 by means of the washers 12 and 13, are gears 14and 15. Suitable clutch connections between the pulley 7 and gears 14and 15 are provided, whereby the operator may at will cause such pulley7 to rotate either or both of the gears 14 and 15. Although I have shownand will describe one form of such clutch connection, it should beunderstood that I do not limit myself to this construction, as anysuitable means for causing the rotation of the gears 14 and 15 by thepulley 7, may be utilized without departing from the spirit of myinvention. In the form shown, however, the pulley 7 is provided withrecesses 16, projecting from which on either side of the pulley 7, arethe pins 17 and 18. Coil springs 19 in said recesses normally urgedsaid. pins outwardly against the surface of the gears 14 and 15. Thesegears 14 and 15 are provided with openings 20 and 21 respectively insuch position as to receive the pins 17 and 18, whereby said gears andthe pulley 7 are connected and will rotate together. Mounted in the openings 20 and 21 of the gears, are the headed pins 22 and 23, which whenpushed inwardly into such openings completely fill the same andeffectively prevent the pins 17 and 18 from engaging within the openings20 and 21. Shafts 24 and 25 extend outwardly through the side walls 2and 3 and are provided at their outer ends with finger pieces 26 and 27.The inner ends of these shafts are provided with arms 28 and 29 whichare bevelled to provide cam surfaces. These arms 28 and .29 when turnedinto engagement with the headed pins 22 and 23, tend to force said pinsinwardly and thus prevent engagement of the pins 17 and 18 with theopenings in the gears 14 and 15. If it is desired, however, to connectthe pulley 7 with one or both of the gears 14 and15, the shafts 24 orare rotated to remove the arm from engagement with the pins 22 or 23,thus leaving-the pins 17 and 18 free to engage within the openings 20and 21 in the gears, the tension of the springs 19 forcing the pins 17and 18 into such openings and the headed pins 22 and 23 outwardlytherefrom. Such outward movement is very slight and when it is desiredto again disconnect either of the gears 14 or 15 from the pulley, thearm 28 or the arm 29 is again turned so that its bevelled side engageswith the head of the pin 22 or 23 and further rotation of the arm tendsto force such pins inwardly and the pins 17 to 18, as the case may be,outwardly, thereby disengaging the gear and pulley.

The side wall 2 of the casing 1 is provided with bearings 30 and 31 inwhich are rotatably mounted the shafts 32 and 33. Carried at the innerends of the shafts 32 and 33 are the gears 34 and 35 respectively, bothmeshing with the gear 14, whereby upon rotation of said gear 14, thegears 34 and 35 will be rotated and thus the shafts 32 and 33. The outerends of the shafts 32 and 33 have secured'thereto sprocket members 36and 37 provided on their peri heries with sprocket teeth for a purposeto e described.

Extending outwardly from the side wall 2 at spaced points on either sideof the shafts 32 and 33 are wall members 38 and 39- and 40 and 41. Thewall members 38 and 39 comprise end walls of a casing, one side of whichis closed by the outer surface of the wall 2, and the opposite side ofwhich is closed by a plate 42 secured to the end walls 38 and 39, as bythe screws 43. Similarly, the wall members 40 and 41 provide end wallsfor a casing, one side of which is also closed by the outer surface ofthe wall 2 and the opposite side of which is closed by a plate 44secured to the end walls 40 and 41 asby the screws 45. Top and bottommembers (not shown) may also be provided toclose these casings justdescribed. It will be observed with reference to Figure 4 that each ofthe end walls 38 and 39, 40 and 41 are provided with vertical recessesthrough which the sprocket members 36 and 37 project. Likewise, each ofthese end walls is provided with ahorizontal slot or recess, indicatedat 46, for a purpose to be described.

Slidably mounted on the inner surface of gated slot 49 in the wall 42.This elongated slot provides for the slight longitudinal adjustment ofthe lens mount 47 when necessary for focusing. The opposite side of thelens mount is provided with a flange 50 engaging within a groove 51 inthe outer surface of the sprocket member 36. This connection between thesprocket member and the lens mount provides against the passage of lightaround the sides of said lens mount between the same and the sprocketmember. The lens mount 47 is provided with a central bore 52 withinwhich are mounted suitable photographic lenses 53.

A similar construction is found in the easing enclosed by the outer wall44 carrying on its inner side the lens mount 54 held in adjustedposition by means of the headed screw 55, slidable within the slot 56 inthe member 44. This lens mount is likewise provided with a bore 57,within which are mounted the photographic lenses 58, and on its oppositeface, is provided with the flange 59 engaging in the groove 60 .in theouter face of the sprocket member 37.

Suitably secured to the outer surface of the side wall 2 at a pointdirectly between the inner end walls 39 and 40 is a lamp housing 61Within which is a lamp 62, connected to any suitable source ofelectricity. Projecting from one side of the lamp housing 61 is a casing63 extending outwardly toward and adjacent to the end wall 39. Thiscasing 63 opens into the lamp housing 61 and is provided at its innerend with a ground glass or other light diffusing screen 64. Between thisground glass 64 and the outer end of the housing, there is locatedwithin this housing a diaphragm 65 provided with an opening 66 to permitthe passage of the light from the lamp 62 therethrough. This diaphragm65 may be of any desired type, but is preferably adjustable so that thesize of the aperture or opening 66 may be varied. A diaphragm of theiris type may be readily substituted for the fixed plate shown in thedrawings. Slidably mounted upon the outer end of the cas ing 63 is asleeve 67 telescopically mounted upon the casing 63. The outer end ofthis sleeve 67 carries a film gate or presser pad 68 adapted to engageagainst the end wall 39. This film gate 68 as shown clearly in Figure 3,is curved and is provided with a groove 69, adapted to receive thesprocket teeth of the sprocket member 36. The film gate 68 is providedcentrally with an opening 70 in alignment with the diaphragm opening 66through which the light from the lamp may pass. A coil spring 71 iscarried within the sleeve 67 one end thereof bearing against the surfaceof the film gate 68 and the opposite end anchored against the end of thecasing 53. The natural tendency of the spring 71 is to force the filmgate 68 outwardly into engagement with the end wall 39. The sleeve 67 isslotted .as at 72 and a pin 73 carried by the casing 63 engages withinsaid slot permitting sliding movement of said sleeve, but preventingrotation thereof.

Projecting from the lamp housing 61 directly opposite the casing 63, isa duplicate film gate structure of that just described (see Figure 3),and including the casing 63a, ground glass 64a, diaphragm 65a, sleeve 67a, andfilm gate or presser pad 68a adapted to engage the end wall 40,and provided with the groove 69a and opening 70a in alignment with thediaphragm opening 66a through which the light from the lamp passes. Coilspring 71a, slot 72a and pin 73a, complete the duplicate structure justdescribed.

Pivoted to the end of the side wall 2 as at 7 4 is a film gate 7 5adapted to be closed against the end wall 38. This film gate 75 isprovided with a groove 76 adapted to receive the projecting teeth of thesprocket member 36. A similar film gate 77 is pivoted at 78 from theopposite end of the side wall 2 and this film gate is likewise providedwith a groove 79 to receive the projecting sprocket teeth on thesprocket member 37. The function of the slidable film gates 68 and 68a,carried by the lamp housing 61, is to hold a strip of negative film 80into engagement with the end walls 39 and 40, which form film guides,over which such negative film 80 is moved by means of the sprocketmembers 36 and 37, the teeth thereof engaging the usual perforations inthe film adjacent one edge thereof, and moving said strip of filmdownwardly past the aperture 70 in the film gate 68 and the aperture 46in the end wall 39, and upwardly past the aperture 70a in the film gate68a and the aperture 46 in the end wall 40. The function of the pivotedfilm gates 75 and 77 is to hold strips of positive film 81 and 97 incontact with the end walls 38 and 41 respectively, acting as film guidesfor such strips of positive film, such film strips 81 and 97 beingmovable respectively by means of the sprocket members 36 and 37. theteeth thereof engaging in the perforations of such lms.

It will be observed with relation to Figure 4, that the side wall 3 ofthe casing 1 is also provided with bosses 30a and 31a providing bearingsfor shafts 32a and 3311 provided at their inner ends with gears 34a and35ameshing with gear 15, and at their outer ends with sprocket members36a and 37a. Without further repetition. it will be noted that the outersurface of side wall 3 is provided with a duplicate printing means withthat shown and described in connection with side wall 2 and including alamp housing. film guides and gates. lenses. etc., all duplicates ofthose above described. It is believed unnecessary to go into detaileddescription of all these parts, but is sutficient to say that they aremerely counterparts of those just described.

With reference now to Figure 1, the purpose of the construction justdescribed will be apparent. The negative film 80 is preferably made inthe form of an endless strip trained over the upper guide rollers 82 andlower guide rollers 83, the latter of which may be mobile, if desired,to permit stopping the film for a movement at a given point for adding anew strip thereto or for other purposes without delaying or interferingwith the continuous movement of the-film past the printing apparatus.

The negative film 80 passes around one side of a driving sprocket 84 andmay be held into engagement with the teeth of-said sprocket by means ofthe rollers 85. This sprocket 84 may be driven in any suitable manner asby a chain and sprocket connection (not shown) with the motor 10, orwith the shaft 6.

After leaving the sprocket 84, the negative film 80 is formed into aloop as at 86 and then enters between the film guide or end wall 39 andthe slidable film gate 68, the latter holding the film against theguide. At this point, the teeth of the sprocket 36, passing through thevertical ,slot in the end wall 39 and into the recess 69 of the filmgate 68, engages with the perforations of the negative film on one sidethereof and rotation of the sprocket serves to move the film downwardlypast the openings 70 and 46. At this point, the light from the lamp 62,passing through the diaphragm 65 projectsthe pictures on the negativefilm through the lenses 53 and through the recess 46 in the opposite endwall 38 where they are received upon the strip of positive film 81. Thisstrip of positive film is fed from any suitable source of supply over aseries of guide rollers 87 and 88, similar to the rollers 82 and 83 andupwardly over one side of a sprocket 89, the rollers 90 holding the filminto engagement with said sprocket, where it is then formed into a loop91 from which it is fed past the opening 46 in the end wall 38 and heldagainst such end wall by the pivoted film gate 75. At this point, thesprocket teeth of the sprocket 36, passing through the vertical slot inthe end wall 38 and intothe recess 36 in the film gate 75, engage withthe perforations of the positive film strip on one side thereof and movesaid film upwardly through the gate. After leaving this gate. theposilot) tive film is again looped as at 92 and passing around thesprocket 84, held into engagement therewith by the rollers 93, it passeson upwardly over guide rollers 94 and 95 to any desired reel or othertake up device.

It will thus be seen that the sprocket 84 serves the double purpose offeeding the negative film downwardly and feeding the positive filmupwardly, and that the sprocket 36 insures a steady-and uniform movementof the positive and negative films past the exposure openings in theprinting apparatus.

After the negative film 80 leaves the exposure station above described,it passes downwardly and is formed into a loop 96 from which it againpasses upwardly between'the end wall 40 and the slidable film gate 68a,past the openings therein, whereby the light from the lamp 62 againprojects the pictures from said negative film outwardly, and this timein the opposite direction through the lenses 58 to the second positivefilm 97, which passes over the end wall 41 and held in engagementtherewith by the pivoted film gate 7 7.

The teeth of the sprocket 37 in the same manner as before described,with respect to sprocket 36, moves the negative film upwardly and thepositive film 97 downwardly at a continuous and uniform speed.

The negative film 80 after leaving the film gate 82 is again looped asat 97a and passes upwardly around one side of a sprocket 98, held intoengagement with said sprocket by the rollers 99, and from thence to theguide rollers 82 and 83. The positive film 97 is fed downwardly from thesource of supply after passing over guide rollers 100 and 101, aroundone side of the sprocket 98, held into engagement therewith by means ofthe rollers 102, and then looped as at 103, from which it passesdownwardly past the printing station above described. After leaving thisprinting station, it is again looped at 104 and passes around one sideof asprocket 105, being held into engagement therewith by means I of therollers 106, and then to the guide rollers 107 and 108 and to thepositive take up reel or other device.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that a negative film may beformed into an endless strip and fed past both sides of the lamp housing61 in the manner illustrated in Figure 1, whereby a single lamp projectsthe images from said negative strip in opposite directions to twoseparate positive film strips simultaneously and uniformly driven by thesame sprocket members which move the negative strip. Thus two positiveprints may be simultaneously made from a single negative film. It willbeobserved that the feeding of the film, both positive and negative, tothe printing stations is independent of the sprockets 36 and 37, thisbeing accomplished by the sprockets 84:, 89, 98 and 105. It will befurther noted that the film strips are supported at the various printingstations by film guides and gates, which, as shown clearly in Figure 1,are curved and are of a slightly greater radius than the arc of thesprockets. The function of the sprockets 36 and 37 therefore is purelythat of insuring an absolutely uniform movement of the positive andnegative films past the exposure apertures in the film gates and guides.

With the structure illustrated in Figure 4,

it is possible not only to print two positives from a single negative,but with the same, ap-

paratus to print a second pair of positives from a second negative film.Thus, on a given motion picture, the operator may print simultaneouslytwo positives of for'instance reel 1, and two positives of reel 2 of thepicture, the single driving means serving to drive the entire apparatus.Duplicate light housings, film guides and gates, lenses and exposureopenings are provided as before mentioned, on the outer surface of theside wall 3, and a duplicate arrangement of filmguide rollers, sourcesof supply and take ups as shown in Figure 1, are likewise provided forthis section of the apparatus. It is not deemed necessary that thedetails of these parts be shown and described as they would be mererepetition.

Furthermore, it will be noted that many details of construction such assupports, driv- 1. A printing apparatus comprising a lamp housing havinga light source therein, means for moving a single negative film pastopposite sides of said housing, comprising aligned sprockets for. somoving said film, said sprockets also moving two positive films inalignment with said negative film and on opposite sides of said lightsource, film guides for supporting said films independent of saidsprockets and in operative relation thereto, and means for holding saidfilms against said guides, said means comprising gates movable intoengagement with said guides, the gates for said negative film beingslidable and carried by said lamp housing.

2. A printing apparatus comprising a lamp housing having a light sourcetherein, means for movin a single negative film past opposite sides 0said housing, comprising aligned sprockets for so moving said film, saidsprockets alsomoving two positive films in alignment with said negativefilm and on e opposite sides of said light source, film guides forsupporting said films independent of said sprockets and in operativerelation thereto. and means for holding said films against said guides,said means comprising gates movable into engagement with said guides,the gates for said negative film being slidable and carried by said lamphousing, and normally urged into engagement with said guides.

3. A printing apparatus comprising a single driving means, two pair ofaligned I said respective light sources and in alignment with therespective negative films, whereby 7 there may be simultaneously printedtwo positive films from each of two negative films, and means forselectively connecting or disconnecting either pair of sprockets fromsaid single driving means.

. FREEMAN H. OWENS.

